For what feels like an eternity, but has only been the past few incredibly busy months, our lives have been a whirlwind of beautiful chaos. We’ve navigated the joyous, sleep-deprived adventures that come with welcoming a new baby into our family, simultaneously settling into the rhythm of a brand new house, and, as always, crafting and perfecting all sorts of amazing new recipes for you to enjoy. But beneath all these exciting developments, there has been an even bigger, more exhilarating secret simmering in our kitchen – a project born from our deepest passions and commitment to our community. Today, with hearts full of gratitude and boundless excitement, we’re thrilled to finally pull back the curtain and share our biggest news yet: the official announcement of The Oh Sweet Basil Cookbook! This isn’t just a collection of recipes; it’s a culmination of years of sharing, learning, and cooking together, now bound into a beautiful book designed to bring families closer around the dinner table.
From the very beginning, when we first embarked on this incredible journey with Oh Sweet Basil, Cade and I made a solemn promise to ourselves and to each other. We vowed that every endeavor we pursued through this site would always feel natural and authentic to us, never compromise the precious time we dedicate to our children, and always be a decision thoughtfully discussed and prayed over. Our children are, without a doubt, our first and most important job, and we never wanted this platform, no matter how successful, to ever detract from our role as parents. Secondly, it has always been paramount for us to stay true to our core values. This commitment to authenticity is precisely why we only ever talk about and endorse brands that we genuinely love and use in our own home. It’s also why we pour our hearts into sharing our personal stories and moments from our lives with all of you. We honestly adore reading your comments, receiving your emails, and connecting with each and every one of you. In fact, many of you have become more than just readers; over the years, we’ve come to know you, feeling like we’re sharing this culinary journey with a community of cherished friends.
It was with this philosophy firmly in mind that a few months ago, an unexpected and truly delightful email landed in our inbox from Deseret Book. I can vividly recall the moment; I could hardly believe what I was reading. They expressed an interest in meeting for breakfast to discuss a potential collaboration. This timing felt incredibly serendipitous. Cade and I had been having ongoing conversations, feeling a strong pull to refocus on more fundamental, wholesome family recipes, and to truly emphasize that Oh Sweet Basil is, and always has been, a collaborative team effort, not just a “one-lady show.” We both pour our hearts into this, behind the scenes and in front of the camera. As fate would have it, Deseret Book’s proposal aligned perfectly with our aspirations: they wanted to create a cookbook centered around the concept of reinventing family dinner, and crucially, they wanted both of us – Cade and me – to be fully involved in its creation. It felt like the universe was guiding us toward this very moment, affirming the path we had been contemplating.
Wait, what?! A cookbook?! The words echoed in our minds. It’s a funny thing, but over the years, we’ve actually had to say no to quite a few cookbook offers. Each time, despite the exciting prospect, something just didn’t feel quite right; the timing, the vision, or the partnership didn’t fully resonate with our core values or our commitment to our readers. But this proposal, from Deseret Book, felt different. It was an immediate, resounding “yes” in our hearts, because it perfectly encapsulated what we had already been feeling strongly about doing. It was an idea that had been quietly bubbling within us, waiting for the right moment and the right partner to bring it to fruition. So, as they say, the rest is history. From that pivotal meeting onward, our lives transformed into a delicious, non-stop culinary adventure. We’ve been immersed in months of intense recipe development: tirelessly testing, joyfully eating, meticulously testing again, and of course, devouring gobs of delicious recipes. Each dish has been crafted with love and a keen eye for flavor and simplicity, ensuring it’s perfect for your family dinner table. We are now in the final stages, almost done with the extensive photography sessions that bring these recipes to life visually.
That’s right folks, after countless hours in the kitchen, endless taste tests, and a dedicated effort to capture the beauty of home-cooked meals, The Oh Sweet Basil Cookbook is officially slated for release early next year! As we approach this incredible milestone, we are a complex mix of emotions: giddy with anticipation, a little nervous about such a significant undertaking, deeply humbled by this amazing opportunity, and completely, utterly excited to share this passion project with all of you. This cookbook is more than just a collection of recipes; it’s an invitation to rediscover the joy of family dinner, to create lasting memories around the table, and to make home cooking approachable and delicious for everyone. We have poured our hearts and souls into every page, every ingredient, and every photograph, aiming to inspire you to cook, share, and connect.
We so hope that you all will mark your calendars, come out and meet us at book signings and events (details to be announced soon!), grab a copy of the book, and most importantly, invite us into your family dinners. Figuratively speaking, of course – by trying out our recipes and making them your own! Although, to be honest, we absolutely love when other people cook for us, so we are totally up for a real invite too! (Just kidding… mostly!) Anyway, you get the point. We truly want this book to become a cherished staple in your kitchen, a go-to guide for creating memorable meals and fostering connection. We’ve included everything from quick weeknight solutions to celebratory dishes, all designed to be approachable and bursting with flavor. Phew, announcing this felt like a huge weight off our shoulders, a secret we’ve been eager to share for so long. So, we have to ask again, with bated breath: are you in? Will you join us on this exciting journey? Will you buy it? Ack! We still can’t quite believe this is real, and we are so incredibly grateful for your unwavering support and enthusiasm. Thank you for being such an integral part of the Oh Sweet Basil family. We can’t wait for you to hold this book in your hands and start cooking!